Rutland has Fairtrade County status extended at Oakham ceremony

Volunteers and shoppers have helped a county extend its long-running Fairtrade status into a third decade.

Rutland County Council chairman, Andrew Brown, accepted the county’s new Fairtrade County certificate at a ceremony on Tuesday evening after a successful campaign by the Rutland Fairtrade Forum.

The voluntary group works with businesses, community groups, churches and schools to promote Fairtrade which helps ensure better prices and conditions for farmers and workers in developing countries.

The status is awarded by the national Fairtrade Founfdation and has to be renewed about every five years.

Rutland became only the second county in the UK to be awarded Fairtrade status in 2007 and has held it ever since.

“The support of the county council was crucial in the most recent renewal process,” said forum chairperson David Lewis

“We are also grateful to the community groups, churches and schools that support Fairtrade, and to everyone who plays a part by buying Fairtrade products from local businesses.

“It is heartening to see that lots of people in the local area appreciate a few small changes to their shopping can make a big difference, helping growers and producers around the world to use trade as a means of relieving poverty.”